A Mother's Love
by Morwen Starr
Summary: The events occurring at the Weasley household the night YouKnowWho was vanquished.


This is my first, so please R&R. It's not my favorite of the one's I've done, but I've become rather fond of it. Anything you say will be taken into consideration, so please do tell me what you think!

I don't own anything that J.K. Rowling does. If I did, I would certainly be doing more productive things with my time than writing fan fiction.

A Mother's Love

The Burrow was quiet, just as it had been for some time now. It was nearing one o'clock in the morning, and the children were all asleep. A tiny kick against her ribcage told Molly that not all her children were as asleep as she thought.

"Alright, Ginny dear," she said, more to hear the sound of her own voice than anything, "It's alright. I'm sure your father will be home any moment. Then we'll get some sleep." She patted her overgrown belly and spared a glance at the clock on the wall. Nine hands this clock had; and all of them pointing to 'mortal peril'.

_Might as well go check on the boys_, she thought, _I can't rest anyway_. Molly sighed, setting down her knitting and wedging herself up from her chair by the fire. Slowly, she made her way up the stairs.

Bill and Charlie slept like angels in the first room; Charlie's stuffed dragon clutched tightly to his chest, Bill's thumb planted in his mouth. In the next room, Percy had once again fallen asleep with a book in his hands. Molly set the book on the bedside table, and put out the lamp, tucking Percy in again. Fred and George's room was unusually quiet. It seemed the two had finally fallen asleep, though it had been a job getting them to their beds, as usual. Ron's crib was full of the sounds of his little baby-snores. Molly paused to tuck him in tighter, and then made her way carefully down the stairs again.

At the foot of the stairs, she stopped to catch her breath. This latest pregnancy was taking quite a bit out of her. Little Ginny was already a week late, and she worried that her first daughter might decide to come in the middle of the night while Arthur was at work.

But even if Ginny came in broad daylight, Arthur was likely to still be at work. Everyone at the Ministry was working overtime, no matter what department they were in. And there was no end in sight to all this You-Know-Who business.

The fire was dying. She crossed the room to the woodpile and picked up a small log. Just as she was about to put the log in the middle of the fire, she realized that she was about to stick it through her husband's nose.

"Arthur!" she exclaimed, clutching her chest, "Arthur, you gave me such a fright!"

"Sorry about that Molly, dear," Arthur replied apologetically.

"What are you doing popping in here this late anyway?" she asked, smoothing her hair back behind her ears, "Shouldn't you be on your way home by now?"

"They want me to stay later," he said. At her pained expression he added, "But I'm not going to. The best way I can protect _my_ family right now is to be home with them."

Molly sighed, relieved. "Hurry home then. I'll be waiting for you dear," she said.

"You always are," he said with a small smile. Then his face disappeared from the fire.

Molly looked down, suddenly realizing she was still holding the log. She added it to the fire, and gave it a few pokes to revive it, and then made her way into the kitchen.

She pointed her wand at the stove. A flame sprang up under the pot of leftover stew that was to be Arthur's dinner once he got home. She sat down in a chair at the kitchen table, leaning around to peek at her clock on the living room wall. Arthur's hand still hadn't shifted to 'traveling', but she trusted that he would be back soon; it took only moments to apparate, after all.

She let the stew heat for a few minutes, till it started boiling, and then extinguished the fire. Once again she checked the clock. Nothing had changed. Sighing, she rested her head in her hands, elbows propped up on the table, thinking fondly of her bed upstairs and how pleasantly quiet and warm it was in the kitchen...

Molly woke with a start. But what had awakened her, she wondered. The grandfather clock in the hall chimed. That was it. It chimed again. _Goodness, how late is it_? She thought, a pang of worry striking her. Again the clock chimed. Her heart rose to her throat as the clock chimed a fourth time.

_Four o'clock! It wasn't yet one when Arthur said he was coming home—what on earth has happened! Something horrible must have—_

_But he's at the ministry_, she thought, trying to calm herself_. If something had happened at the ministry there'd be—_

Her eyes fell on the Wireless on the counter. Grabbing it, she sat back down and turned it on. Her heart pounded in her throat as she turned the dial, looking for a station. Finally, she picked one up. She set the Wireless down to listen.

"—truly is miraculous news, Arnie. Have any sources confirmed it yet?" asked the Wireless host.

"Aye, the ministry themselves!" said the voice of another man, sounding absolutely delighted. "I got it from a friend in the Department of Magical Accidents—he's an obliviator, you know. One of the first in the ministry on the scene—terrified muggles everywhere, you know—"

"But Arnie, why hasn't the ministry released anything yet? I'd think the first thing they'd do—"

"Don't be daft man! Them ministry officials don't want to tell anyone anything till they know themselves!"

"But if they don't know—"

"If ye don't believe me, then just go pop in over at the ministry. I tell ye, they're runnin' around like a bunch o' mice! Don't know which way's up!"

"Well, maybe I'll do just that, Arnie. Sounds like a story. Well, folks, we'll continue to keep you updated on this quickly developing situation. Remember, you heard it here first!" and with that, the hosts voice dissapeared, and was replaced with a song.

What in this world...Molly thought as she hastily retuned the Wireless. Sounds as though it's something big...

"—interrupt this program to bring you an important message from the Ministry of Magic."

Molly leaned closer to the Wireless, barely breathing, not wanting to miss a word.

"This is Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, speaking. Rumors have been flying the past few hours. This message I bring you is the truth as far as the Ministry can conclude: At some time between the time of one and one thirty this morning the ministry received a report of a magical catastrophe, an explosion, located in Godric's Hollow. Upon questioning of muggles and other wizards in the area, it was determined that the house exploded with a flash of green light. Investigation of the scene uncovered the bodies of a wizard and a witch, who's names are being withheld, both apparently dead by the Kedavra Curse. The ministry is not releasing any further information about the nature of the apparent wizard attack, however it has been determined that the wizard calling himself—named—that You-Know-Who was indeed at the house at the time of the explosion, and...he did not survive."

Molly's heart, which had been pounding away in her throat, quite literally stopped beating. Then it beat double-time to make up for lost time.

_This must be—he can't have—but that was the _Minister...her mind reeled. Well, I guess that explains why Arthur's not home yet! Suddenly, it occurred to her to check her other clock. When she did, she was pleasantly surprised to see that Arthur's hand had moved to the 'traveling' position.

A bare second later, there was a knock on the door. Throwing caution to the wind, she threw the door open.

"Molly," Arthur said, surprised, "You're supposed to—"

"Arthur is it true?" she gasped, pulling him in off the doorstep.

He smiled, his tired eyes twinkling. "So Fudge has made the announcement, has he?"

"Then it is true?" she said, this time with wonderment, leaning against the counter for support.

"It seems that way," he said, putting an arm around her, and leading her over to a chair.

She sat down reluctantly, and then hopped back up again. "But—but how!" she asked, catching his arm as he was pulling off his coat.

"No one knows," he replied, sitting her down again. "Maybe there'll be more news when I go in tomorrow mor—er—evening. What's this, stew?"

"Oh," Molly said absently, "Yes, stew. But Arthur—"

"Bit cold, isn't it?" he asked with a chuckle, tasting it with the tip of his finger.

"Cold?" she said, stymied. Then her cheeks grew pink, and she seemed to swell slightly. "Now listen here, Arthur; that stew's cold because you got home nearly five hours later than you said, and furthermore, I'm trying to have a conversation—"

"Then by all means, Molly dear, continue. I'm sorry I've interrupted your little chat."

She deflated a little, though her cheeks remained pink. "Sorry indeed," she said, smiling herself. "I'll warm it up for you, if you like."

"No, no, I'll manage," he said, ladling some out into a bowl, and heating it with his wand.

"Arthur, shouldn't we—"

"Molly," he said patiently. "You heard the Minister. They're not releasing any further information. There is nothing for you and I and everyone else to do but go on with our lives."

She sighed, giving up finally. "I suppose you're right. It is wonderful news though, isn't it?"

Arthur laughed. "Wonderful isn't quite what I'd call it, but for lack of a better word, I guess that'll do."

"I'm just going to go check on the boys again," she said, standing up.

"You go to bed yourself. I'm home, there's no need for you to stay up now."

"Are you sure?" she asked. She rubbed her belly with an uncomfortable look. With his assurance, she hobbled off towards the stairs again.

A few seconds later, her piercing shriek broke the silence of the house.

"Arthur! Come quick!"

Pushing his chair back so fast that it toppled over, Arthur rushed to the foot of the stairs, where he found Molly clutching the banister with one hand, and her stomach with the other, her face turning colors from green to white and back again.

"What is it? Is it the baby?" he asked, supporting her as she made her way to her chair.

"Yes, it's time." She said, confidently as she sat down. "Go wake the boys; we're going to have to get to St. Mungo's quickly."

"Are you sure?" he asked, hestitating at the foot of the stairs.

"Yes I'm sure!" she said exasperatedly, "Arthur, darling, not to be rude but I've given birth to six children. Last I checked, your count was considerably lower! Now will you please go wake the boys?"

The young blond witch at the desk looked up from reading her magazine. At first she looked a bit confused as to why someone should be arriving this late; then her eyes widened at the sight of Molly's enormous stomach.

"Is—that is, are you--?" the woman stuttered, leaping to her feet.

"Yes, yes," Molly said calmly, "but don't get yourself all worked up dear. I'll be just fine—been through this a time or two." She chuckled warmly, which didn't seem to put the young witch at ease any.

"Right well then, I'll just—I'll just..."

Arthur had caught up with her now, having finally marshaled all their sleepy children into coming along with him.

"Here," he said, pointing his wand at the wheelchair in the corner. The chair promptly rolled over to stop in front of Molly, who took a seat, and began giving her heavy-eyed children kisses.

"You'll make sure none of your brothers gets into any mischief, won't you?" she asked Bill, who was the most alert.

"'Course, Mum," mumbled Bill. Admittedly, the other boys didn't look too inclined to make mischief: Ron was still sound asleep in Arthur's arms, Charlie and the twins looked ready to drop at any moment, and Percy had actually sat down in the floor and fallen asleep with his head in his hands.

Meanwhile, Arthur was in conversation with the witch from the desk. She seemed to be trying to tell him where to go.

"And then you just..."

"Alright, I think I know the place," Arthur said patiently, "Thank you. Would you...?" he indicated the children.

"Oh, um sure, I'll keep an eye on them." She assured him.

"Oh," Molly said, as her husband started to wheel her down the hall, "One more thing dear," she grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her down a bit closer. "You might want to turn on that wireless back there for a bit—keep yourself awake." With a conspiratorial wink, they left the woman standing amidst the crown of their children, looking utterly confused.

"Isn't she beautiful, boys?"

It was midday, and a Healer had brought Ginny into Molly's room, so that the whole family could see her.

They all nodded, still in awe.

"Can I hold her, Mum?" Charlie asked.

"You'll have to put that down first," she answered. Carefully setting his stuffed dragon down on the bed, Charlie reached for his baby sister.

"Ginny!" Ron said, reaching a pudgy hand up to touch her hair, which was already a fiery red.

"What a story to tell her when she's grown, eh?" said Arthur fondly, "How she was born on the night You-Know-Who died?"

By now there wasn't a single witch or wizard who didn't know of Voldemort's demise. The Healers were going about their work with great enthusiasm, joyfully expressing their happiness that there would be no more victims of torture, no more injured aurors.

"Yes, quite a story," Molly said absently.

"And all those things they're saying about that Potter boy—he's the same age as Ron; they'll be going to Hogwarts at the same time."

"Yes," said Molly.

"And they won't have to worry about You-Know-Who. Molly?"

Molly looked up. "Yes, Arthur?"

"You don't seem as excited as everyone else is—not even as much as you were last night. Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing, dear; just tired is all."

He took the excuse readily, with an encouraging smile. He sat down to take Ginny from Charlie, and to answer all the boys' questions about her.

Molly looked over at her husband and her seven children. She loved them all more than anything. She sighed, but not with contentment. Sometime between when heard the message on the wireless from the Minister and when Ginny had been delivered to them this morning, she had developed a sense of foreboding. She wasn't sure what had brought it on, but what Arthur had just said had intensified it. Somehow, though the entire wizarding world was celebrating at the moment, she couldn't bring herself to join in. She had the feeling that no matter what the ministry said, they hadn't seen the last of You-Know-Who. What dangers lay ahead for her family she could only guess, and she had only a mother's love to protect them with.

_But then_, Molly thought, _maybe a mother's love is all they need._

Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it!


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